Loose-leaf binder or file.



PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

0. F; GRAUN. LOOSE LEAF BINDER 0R FILE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

ams PETERS co, wow-Limo WASHINUION. 04 c,

UNITED STATES Patented November 24, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. W. GRAUN, OF MILlVAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- -HALF TO FERDINAND J. SIEKERT, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER OR FILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,749, dated November 24, 1903 i Application filed February-2, 1903. Serial No. 141.472. (No model.)

i To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. W. GRAUN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of. Wisconsin, have invented'certain new'and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders or Files, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings,forminga part thereof. [0 The main objects of my invention are to i provide a binder or file in and from which leaves or sheets may be readily inserted, removed, rearranged, and replaced and generally to simplify and improve the construction and operation of devices of this class.

It consists in certain novel features of construction and in a novel arrangement and combination of parts, as hereinafter particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings like letters designate the same parts in both figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective viewof a binder embodying the invention. Fig. 2 isa reverse view of the back plate, the covering being removed.

a designates the base or back plate of the binder or file. .It'may be convenientlymade of sheet metal and is formed at the sides or longitudinal edges with backwardly and in- 0 wardly turned flanges b. At one end it is.

preferably reinforced by a block or plate 0, which closes the space between the flanges. For holding the perforated leaves orsheets in the binder 0r file the back plate is provided with arches which are composed of members d, fixed in or to said plate, and of members e, pivoted therein so as to open and to close against the fixed members. The meeting ends of the arch members are bev- 4o eled, so that when the arches are closed, as shown in Fig. 1, there will be no interruption or break therein.

The pivoted members e are provided, as shown in Fig. 2, with crank-arms f, which lie in the recess between the flanges on the back of the plate at. These arms are connected by a spring rod or wire g, which lies in the recess between the flanges b and is formed with reverse bends or a bow h, adapted to engage a projectioni on said plate, and thushold the pivoted members e of the arches either in closed or open relation to the fixed members d.

The rod or wire g is formed at one end into a loop or finger-piece j, whichis guided in and by the flanges b and projects sufficiently from the open end of the plate a to be accessible to the thumb or finger for opening and closing the arches. The adjacent end of the plate a may be notched or cut away, as shown, to facilitate grasping the loop or finger-piecej. The plate a, when used in a binder or file having covers, is usually inserted between the flexible covering 1c and a flexible liningstrip Z, and thereby inclosed and concealed, 6

as shown in Fig. 1. To reinforce the back and protect the lining Z, a thin metal plate m, notched to fit over the shanks of the arch members, may be riveted to the back plate a over the lining-strip Z. Y The covering is and the lining-strip Z form hinges or flexible connections between'the back and the covers 77. of the binder. p 7

To remove sheets or leaves from orto insert them in the binder or file,'the loop or fingerpiece j is drawn out, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, thereby turning the pivoted members 6 outward and opening the arches,

as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l. 9

When the spring rod or wire g is thrust inward, the pivoted members 8 are held against the fixed members cZ of the arches by the engagement with the projection 't' of the bend in said rod below the bow or bend it, as shown by full lines in Fig. 2. When said rod or wire is drawn out, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the pivoted members e of the arches are held open, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. I, by the bend or bow h, pressing and binding against the projection 71. The formation of the bend or bow his such that it tends by engagement with the projectiont' to close the arches when the apex or center of the bend or bow has been thrust inward past said projection.

Various changes in minor details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made Within the spirit and intended scope of the invention.

The leaf-holding arches,with the device for opening and closing them and retaining the pivoted mcmbersin p1ace,maybe applied with little or no essential change in construction or arrangement to binders and files of different kinds, with or without covers, for various uses.

I claim 1. In a loose-leaf binder and file the combination of a recessed back, arches mounted thereon and composed of fixed members and pivoted members, the pivoted members being provided with crank-arms, and an operatingrod connecting said arms and accessible at one end of the back, substantially as described.

2. In a loose-leaf binder and file the combination of a back plate having inturned flanges on the sides, arches composed of members fixed in said plate and of opposing members pivoted in said plate and provided with crankarms, and a spring-rod connecting said arms and formed into a loop which is guided between the flanges on said plate and is accessible at one end thereof, substantially as described.

3. In a loose-leaf binder and file the combination of a recessed back plate, arches composed of members fixed in or to said plate and of opposing members pivoted therein and provided within the recess on its back side with crank-arms, and an operating spring-rod connecting said arms and formed with a bend adapted to engage with a projection on said plate for holding the pivoted members of the arches open or closed, substantially as described.

4. In a loose-leaf binder and file the combination of a back plate having inturned flanges on the sides and an intermediate projection, arches composed of members fixed in or to said plate and opposing members pivoted therein and provided with crank-arms between said flanges, and a springrod connecting said arms and formed with reverse bends to engage the projection on said plate and hold the pivoted members open and closed and with a loop guided between said flanges and accessible at one end of said plate for opening and closing the arches, substantially as described.

5. In a loose-leaf binder and file the combination of a plate having backwardly and inwardly turned longitudinal flanges and an intermediate projection, arches composed of members fixed in or to said plate and of opposing members pivoted therein and provided with crank-arms in the recess between said flanges,a spring-rod connecting said arms and formed with a bow adapted to engage the projection on said back and hold the arches open or closed, and with a finger-piece accessible at one end of said plate for opening and closing the arches, and covers hinged to said plate, substantially as described.

6. In a loose-leaf binder and file the combination of a flanged back plate, arches composed of members fixed in or to said plate and opposing members pivoted therein and pro- 

